Apparatus for the production of fiber from flax and hemp straw and the leaves of phormium-tenax sisal abacca yucca and the like



Jan. 24, 1928 J. C. W. STANLEY APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTIO FIBER FROM FLAX AND HEMP STRAW A ND THE E LIKE- 2 She t N OF LEAVES OF PHORMIUM TENAX SISAL ABACCA YUCCA AND TH Filed April 18. 1927 J67 WSfsz zzjqy l 0 [721 672 22m Jan.-24, 1928. v 1,657,046

, J. C. W. STANLEY APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FIBER FROM FLAX AND HEMP STRAW AND THE LEAVES OF PHORMIUM TENAX SISAL ABACCA YUCCA AND THE LIKE F5 led April 18- 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizz 672%? y X. fivam. flfiorizg/ Patented Jan. 24 i928:

rarer-i SIGN'OB T OCEANIA. INDUSTRIES LIMITED, OF VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA APPARATUS FER PRODUCTION OF FIBER FROM FILM AND ELEM STRAW AND THE LEAVES OF PHORMIUM-TENAJ SISAL ABACUA YUGCA. AND THE LIEF.

Application filed April 18, 1927. Serial Ito. 184,693..

This invention relates to a combination of apparatus for rotting flan and hemp straw for the purpose of dissolving the gum which holds the fiber and Vegetable matter on the central woody core, the same process being known as cle-gum1ning in the case 0f'Phormium-tenax, sisal, abacca, and Yucca leaves which are lance shape varying in length from two to seven feet. The fiber is held toto gether in a mass of Vegetable gummy matter and it has been customary hitherto to employ mechanical means to scrape the vegetable matter from the fiber which is then washed by Water spray.

The object of my invention is to provide apparatus for the continuous treatment of the fibrous leaves by suitable solvents, so as to obtain a soft fiber suitable for spinning into yarn for textiles, twine, and cord-age future use.

The invention is better described by refer ence to the drawings herewith which form, part of this application, in which'hig, l is a general plan of the arrangementi the apparatus, the drawing i'or convenience being in two portions one being detached as shown in Fig. 1 which is a continuance of the Fig. i. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the lei't hand portion of the apparatus as shown in the plan viz, from. O to E and Fig 3 is on end View of the right hand portion as viewed from E to D lfhe sequential operation oii t-h apparatus is as follows: 'lhe raw material and in the case of? flax and hemp straw after seed has been removed by thrashing; or rip yelling is placed in the buckets the elevator 10, the buckets being in length. sinhcient to permit the straw to lie arailQl a point oi importance which characterizes the entire apparatus-and discharged into the tault 1L This soaking tank 11 preferably oi: tr n gular cross section, and is supported at its d5 ends by trunnion bearings for the con-- ill renience of tipping or muting it marked lit Uh the top side of the tank is a sliding cover for the s when the perforated along one side purpose or draining the finally recovering the chemicals of Value tor reserved for the recovery of the chemicals.

tank is canted over, a perforated water pipe is laid in the angular bottom at 15 this connects through the Vertical pipe 16 with the flexible hose 1? to the rotary pump 18, the latter delivering through the flexible hose 1% to the narrow tank which houses a range of steam pipes 21, so that the Water drawn from the bottom. of the tank is raised. to the required temperature during its circulatory passage through the tank and so retained until the rotting or deguinining process is completed, The flexible connections 17 and 19 are employed to facilitate disconnection when the pipe 15 requires cleansing iron). the gummy materal, i

When a sufiiciency of the raw material has been loaded into the tank 11 it is filled up with water to which alkaline chemicals are added in suitable proportion varying with the character of the material. W hen the rotting; process has been comgleted as indicated. by the softening of the gummy material and the loosening of the fiber from the central. woody core the tank is canted and the liquid drained from its contents and The fiber is then washed free from alkali by water spray and raked on to the apron slattype of conveyor 22 for further treatment. he slats on conveyor 5253 are perforated and when the fiber has travelled a suitable disiance' it is delivered to the perforated lilo ing" screen where it is again washed by water spray from the device 2%,thcuce iassing into the rolls 25, tle having slightly corrugated surface the upp r ol having a spring attachment for i. the pressure The rol. a

deliver fiuine 26 in which water uoa'ts the til end at 27?" where water and fiber @n the fiunie :26 are attached a in separate pad 29x.- he?e paddles beat floating in the water a ward. with t" is arranged in is connect with a v L pressed air at about 1W pounds pro the square incln The ,-buliition oil agitat-es the water in the flume and also sets up a degree of oxidation, both effects assisting the process in hand. 'The flame overflows on to a perforated shaking and draining screen 31. which'discharges the fiber on to a slat typeapron conveyor '32. The degummed and washed fiber on the conveyor 32 are raked into the tank 33 and there subjected to a bleaching process, this tank is similar in construction to the soaking tank 11. When the bleaching is completed the tank is drained and the fiber washed and then raked on to the slat type apron conveyor 34, and thence into the buckets of the elevator 35 from which it is discharged into another tank 36 which is also similar to the soaking tank 11. In this thefiber is soaked in an emulsion of fish oil, mineral oil, soap and water in suitable proportions varying according to circumstances. The object of soaking the fibers with this oleaginous emulsion is to soften it and return to thefiber the character of the natural oil and the original supplencss of quality which was removed by the soak in alkaline chemicals. When the soak is completed the tank 36 is cantedand' drained, and its contents raked on to a slat type conveyor 87 which discharges the fiber on to the shaking screen 38 from which it is delivered to the horizontal rolls 39. These- 'rolls are of somewhat special constructlon;

' 46. In this enclosure where an ozonating and drying process is operated, the fiber is carried along by a series of horizontal'wires longitudinally arran ed side by side in tiers and supported an moved by grooved pulleys. The design being such thatthe fiber is carried along by the wires 47 and is turned over as it drops to the succeeding wire surfaces. During the passage of the fiber through the enclosure 46 a stream of ozonated and heated air is passed through the moving mass of fiber, the humidified air passing from the apparatus by the Pipe 48. In this connection the air dehydrator 49 supplies the ozonator 50, and on the other side the air heater isindicated at 51 and the delivery fan at 52 with the usual pipes and valves in connection. The finished fiber-is delivered from the drier 46 on to the slatconveyor 53.

Ha 'ng now declared the nature of this my 5 id invention, what I elaim and desire ,to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

In an apparatus for the production of fiber from flax and hemp straw and from the leaves of Phormium-tenax Yucca and the like-the combination comprising, an elevator having elongated buckets, a tipping tank of triangular cross section oscillating on trunnion bearings and having a normally horizontal sliding cover with perforations disposed longitudinally near one edge for draining the said tank when tipped, an enclosed tank substantially smaller than the said tipping tank and supported therefrom and positioned above the said cover and alon side the unperforated edge thereof, the said enclosed tank containing a steam coil and water intake and delivery pipe connections, a perforated water pipe in the angular bottom of said triangular pipe connected to a vertical outlet pipe, a rotary pump, the said pump being connected by flexible pipes to the said outlet pipe and the said delivery pipe connection, the said tipping tank being adapted to receive the discharge from the said elevator, a perforated slat conveyor adapted to receive the contents of the said tipping tank, a shaking screen in combination with a water spray device, pressure rolls adapted to receive the discharge from the said shakin screen, a water flume in connection with t e delivery side. of the said rolls, a series of addles transversely disposed within the sai flume and workedby external gearinga series of perforated air pipes below and between the said paddles, a perforated shaking screen in combination with awater spra and adapted to receive the overflow from t e said flame, a slat type conveyor receiving the discharge from the last said shaking screen, a tippin tank similar to the first said ti ping ta sisal abaccaand adapted -to receive the disc arge from.

the last said conveyor, a perforated slat conveyor arranged to receive the contents of the last said tank, a bucket conve or adapted to elevate the dischar e from t e last said slat conveyor to a third tipping tank, a tipping tank similar to the first said tipping tank and adapted to receive the discharge from the last said elevator, a slat conve or compressing washing and drying, a slat type conveyor adapted to receive the compressed fiber from the last said rolls, a drier designed to receive the discharge from the last said conveyor, thesaid drier being an enclosure housing a series of tiers of horizontal and longitudinally disgosed Wires carried by said apparatus, the said drier being mleptefi pulleys and adapte drops to successive tiers, a platform arated air and means far 7 ranged to receive the contents of the said heated end ozonated air,

y flee! elegy come or adapted to described and shown.

A I if dispese of the lue/180) Hit 12611112 1'01!) to traverset-he fiber deto reeeive a stream of heated air in comhvered thereto which is turned over as it binatlon with a. stream of dehydrated ozon- 10 supplying the said. all substantially as 

